History

2016

Turners purchases Goldstar Transport.

2016

Turners purchases Macintyre Transport, a 200 vehicle container business based at Felixstowe with further depots in Selby and Widnes, thereby doubling the size of its existing container business.

2015

Turners build a bespoke 'state of the art' packhouse, designed to centralise and improve the efficiency of packing operations at Newmarket

2014

Turners extended their cold storage facility at Newmarket adding a further 30,000 pallets, marshalling, dispatch and office facilities.

2013

Turners purchases the business and certain assets of Lewis Tankers, based at Hensall in Yorkshire. Lewis operates 75 trucks involved in gas, chemicals and both general and aviation fuels, with trucks based across the UK.

2012

Turners acquires Browns Chilled Distribution Limited based at Bicker near Boston in Lincolnshire. Browns has 120 temperature controlled trucks and specialises in serving the food processing sector. It occupies a 30 acre site which includes 72,000 sq. ft. chilled distribution centre including cross-docking, packing and storage facilities.

2011

Franklin Turner Retired from the company in 2011 after 54 years of service. Franklin had enjoyed riding in the truck from the age of 6 and spent most of his school holidays at the business. He joined the company at his earliest opportunity age 15 and was appointed a director in 1969. His roles involved management of the Fordham fleet in the 1960's until the 1990's when he took over responsibility for the management and administration of the entire national fleet.

2010

Turners commence nationwide fuel supply to Sainsburys forecourts with Greenergy.
Turners acquires Dart Distribution Ltd in April, a container operator with depots in Felixstowe, Birmingham, Daventry, Leeds and Teesport.
Turners currently operates 1,050 vehicles and 1,500 trailers from 32 locations employing 2,200 staff throughout the UK.

2008

Turners purchases the tanker operations of Derek Cooper Transport in January.
Turners acquires the Cumbrian bulk powder specialist, Sam Ostle & Sons Ltd, and the Doncaster based fuel haulier, Perthdown Ltd in July.
Turners win "Motor Transport Haulier of the year".

2007

Turners acquires the bulk powder haulier, CRW Ltd, a company operating within the building materials industry.
Turners wins Cadbury's Nationwide Distribution Contract.
Operations commence for fuel deliveries on behalf of Greenergy in July and shortly after Turners is awarded the contract for fuel deliveries on behalf of TOTAL UK Ltd.

2006

Turners commences fuel supply solutions in January with 6 trucks operating on a spot hire basis.

2004

Turners expands its Nationwide Fresh Produce Consolidation for Sainbury's.
Frank Turner dies on 10th April aged 91, having enjoyed a wonderful retirement in Spain.

2003

Turners wins contract for Costco Nationwide Secondary Distribution

2002

Turners commences ASDA Fresh Produce Consolidation.
Turners acquires Lektron Services Ltd, a bulk powder specialists based in Larkhall, near Glasgow.
Turners PPL Ltd, a specialist fruit grading and packing company, commences operation at Newmarket.

2000

Turners wins a major contract by Blue Circle (now Lafarge) for Nationwide delivery of cement products both bag and bulk.
Wallace Turner dies on 22nd May aged 85 having continued to visit the Newmarket depot daily until his death.
This year is concluded by Turners being awarded "Transport Company of the Year" by the Institute of Transport Management.

1997

Turners commences Tesco Fresh Produce Consolidation.
Turners commences ex farms milk collections.
Turners acquires Fruitex(Spalding) Ltd in order to further enhance fresh produce distribution to wholesale markets.

1996

Turners purchases Hargrave International Transport Limited with depots in Spalding and Glasgow.

1995

Tesco meat and poultry consolidation commences at Newmarket.

1994

Sainsburys chilled food and produce consolidation commences at Newmarket.

1993

Wallace's grandson, Paul, becomes Managing Director and Frank's son, Franklin, becomes Director responsible for fleet.
A new state-of-the-art site is developed at Newmarket. The new site includes 20,000 sq. ft. of ambient storage, 15,000 sq. ft. of chilled warehousing, 20,000 sq. ft. of cold storage, and substantial carton blast freezing facilities. It also incorporates 5,00 sq. ft. of office spaces and extensive workshop and paint shop facilities.

1991

Turners acquires part of the business of John Dee Ltd based at Rothwell near Leeds securing distribution contracts, including one with the brewing giant Tetley. Keen for a foothold in the North, Turners move the operations to a newly acquired site at Castleford.

1990

Key decisions made on future direction of business: - To become a National Company. - Develop and expand the two core divisions - Refrigerated Transport and Tanker Operations. - Build and develop new facilities for Temperature controlled storage. The existing foundation to build upon in 1990 consisted of 4 depots : Fordham, Norwich, Felixstowe and Hitchin. Turners operated a total fleet of 180 vehicles of which 135 were based in East Anglia. A total of 280 staff were employed at this time.

1988

Frank Turner retires from the business, whilst Wallace continues to expand and develop it.

1985

Turners purchased Mayhew Freight Limited who were involved in the haulage of P.F.A. with plans to expand the powder tanker fleet carrying a range of other commodities such as cement, sand and lime.

1983

Paul Day joined the business to work under the guidance of his grandfather, Wallace.

1977

Turners new logo appears in its distinctive orange and red colours.

1972

Turners purchases it's first bulk tankers, after winning a major contract with British Sugar to deliver refined sugar in bulk.

1968

Turners opens a depot in Felixstowe for the international operation of containers and TIR trailers.

1967

Turners moves it's Norwich operation to a new depot on the St. Faiths Industrial Estate to accommodate parking and workshop facilities to cater for the steady expansion that has taken place.

1965

Turners opens a depot at Hackney, East London.

1962

Turners commences chilled and frozen meat distribution from Sainsbury's processing plant at Haverhill, Suffolk to Sainsbury's distribution centres and wholesalers.

1961

Turners commences operation of their first refrigerated vehicle starting work for Sainsbury's.

1959

Turners wins contract for the movement in tipper trucks of raw sugar from British sugar, Ely to Tate & Lyle, London.

1958

Turners opens an office in Norwich and leases a depot in Manchester which includes 14,000 sq. ft. of warehouse space.

1957

Franks's son, Franklin, joins the business.

1955

Turners move from Soham to larger premises in Fordham, following the purchase of the Fordham site from BRS.

1952

Turners purchase the BRS site in Fordham.

1951

Denationalisation. Turners acquires 48 vehicles.

1949

The general haulage operation is compulsory purchased by Government and becomes part of BRS.

1947

The company is incorporated as Turners (Soham) Ltd.

1932

Wallace turners 17, wants to drive on his own lorry and duly approaches the manager of his local bank for a loan only to be abruptly dismissed. He then approaches the manager at Barclays Bank, who accepts his vision and grants him a loan.

1930

Turners is established with a single Bedford lorry, used to transport vegetables to the markets. Frank drives whilst Wallace is the driver's mate, assisting with the loading and unloading.